Speed-gearing for cycles



No. 609,|70. Patented Aug. l6, I898.

S. L. SMITH.

SPEED GEARING FOR CYCLES.

(Application filed Apr. 17, 1897.) (N o M o d e l 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

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No. 609,!70. Patented Aug. I6, I898. S. L. SMITH.

SPEED GEARING FOB CYCLES.

(Application filed Apr. 17 1897.) (No Model.)

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N0. 609,l70. Patented Aug. l6, I898.

S. L. SMITH. SPEED GEABING FOR CYCLES.

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me" S S? SAMUEL L. SMITH, OF WEST DULUTH, MINNESOTA.

SPEED-GEARING FOR CYCLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 609,170, dated August 16, 1898. Application filed April 17,1897. Serial No. 632,543- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, SAMUEL L. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at West Duluth, in the county of St. Louis and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Speed-Gearing for Cycles and other Purposes; and Ido declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,'which form a part of this specification. 1 I

My invention relates to gearing for transmitting power and high speed from one shaft to another. While it may be used in a Variety of ways, it is especially applicable to cycles, and I have shown it so applied in the accompanying drawings, in'which-'-- v Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tricycle'for four equipped with my speed-gearing. Fig. 2 is a plan view, and Fig. 3 an end elevation, of the same. Fig. 4 shows .a detail of the driving mechanism. Fig. 5 shows a modification. Fig. 5* is a detail of the same. Fig. 6 is a section of one of the axle-clutches. Fig. 7 is a sectional plan view of the gearing. Figs. 8 and 9 are side and sectional elevations of the driving ratchet-wheel, pawls, and lever. Fig. 10 is a plan view of the steering devices shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

The tricycle may be built to carry any number of riders. I have shown a four-seated machine in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 anda five-seated one in Fig. 5. The rear axle A is the driving axle. It is journaled in bearings in the frame B and has wheels 0 loosely mounted on its spindles. Clutches are provided to lock the wheels normally to the axle. I prefer the clutch shown in Fig. 6, in which the inner end of the wheel hub has radial ribs or teeth 0 to interlock with similar ribs (2 on a sleeve D, splined to the axle and movable axially by means of a lever E, fulcrumed at c on the frame B and having a'forked' end engaging with a loose collar D, on which are fingers d,

entering a circumferential groove in the sleeve D. A spring e keeps the two parts of the clutch normally in engagement.

The frame B extends above and below the axle A. It consists of an upper reach b, an

intermediate reach I), and a lower reach 12 connected by uprights b and diagonal braces b ythus forming a strong truss. The reaches 12 I) run forward to the steering-head 6 Side bars b run from the axle-bearings forward and back a suitable distance and are connected with the central truss by diagonal bars 12 Two cross-bars b on the upper reach I), supported by struts b running to the intermediate reach b, provide socket-holders for the posts f of the seats F, two on one side of the central truss and two on the opposite side. The sides of the frame may be filled in with paneling or wicker-work to form compartments for guns, fishing-tackle, luggage, and the like. I The front wheel 0 is carried in the usual fork c, which has a steering-post rotatably mounted on the steering-head 6 A lamp Gris carried on the steering-head. The steering-post also carries a lamp G, which turns with it and indicates to the spectator which way the machine is going.

Any suitable steering-handle may be used. I prefer the device shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 10, in which a transverse yoke H is secured to the steering-post, carrying at each end a loosely-swiveled pulley-block 7L. On the upper reach I) there is a drum I, rotatably mounted on an upright shaft provided with a handle '5.

A cord K is attached to the frame 13 at is, its end running through the pulleys and around the drum, to which they are fastened. By turning the drum the yoke and the steering-post will beturned, and the machine can be thus steered. q I In front of each pair of seats there is a transverse shaft-bearing LL, secured to the frame, preferably to the upper reach I).

Rotatably mounted in the front bearing L are'two upright levers M, independently movable, with haiidles m at their upper ends and pedals m at their lower ends. 'Eaeh lever is in front of one of the seats F, so that the rider upon each seat can grasp the handles of a lever and rest his feet upon its pedal.

Fastened to the steering-head is a block M, in which are formed jaws to receive a transverse rocker M fulcrumed at its middle in said jaws and projecting on each side to theof the several pairs of pulleys.

vers M at points considerably above the shaft and bearing L. This construction compels the pair of levers M to vibrate in unison and transmits power from one lever to the other.

The rear pair of levers M is mounted in a manner hereinafter'described upon a shaft N, which is journaled in a sleeve 0, rotatably mounted in the rear shaft-bearing L. A rod or chain m connects each set of levers M M so that all the levers work together. The bearings of the shaft N and the sleeve 0 are preferably ball-bearings, as shown in Fig. '7.

On each end of the shaft is secured a ratchet-wheel P, having two sets of teeth inclined in opposite directions. The lever M has two face-plates m, which are bored centrally to fit the shaft and rest close to the ratchet-wheel on each side, thus inclosing said wheel and supporting the lever on the shaft. In a slot in each side of the lever is a pawl B, one arranged to cooperate with one set of ratchet-teeth and the other with the other set. When the lever is oscillated, the ratchet-wheel will be turned in one direction or the other, depending upon which of the pawls is in engagement. Care must be taken that only one pawl be in engagement at the same time.

Secured to the shaft is a grooved wheel S. The sleeve 0 carries two grooved wheels S S one at each end, the one S, next to the wheel S, being smaller than the wheels S S The main axle A passes through a transverse bearing L on the intermediate reach I). Mounted loosely on the axle adjacent to the bearing and preferably by means of ballbearings is a grooved cone-pulley with two faces T T, the former being the smaller in diameter. On the other side of the bearing a grooved pulley T is secured to the axle, smallerin diameter than the pulley S Three endless belts connect the large and small pulleys. From this arrangement it will be seen that the pulley T and the axle A'will be driven at a much greater speed than the shaft N, the ratio depending upon the relative diameters The arrangement is exceedingly compact, and is useful not only for cycles, but for all machines in which a speed-gearing is necessary.

In the modified tricycle shown in Fig. 5 there are four seats F for the operators and another seat F for the steersman. This is elevated above the others and is somewhat in in advance of them. The steering-post has a handle X, preferably in the form of a quadrant. The driving-ratchets are placed on the forward lever-shaft and connected by the speed-gearing with the rear driving-axle. The drawings show the pawls exposed. When in use, they are covered and protected by a face-plate. The rods connecting the levers in sets are extended forward and curved to form foot-rests for the steersman, so that he can assist in propelling the machine.

These tricycles are intended more especially for use in the army, but are available for any other purpose where several riders are to be carried on one machine. The number of riders is immaterial, provided they be symmetrically arranged on each side.

The operation of my tricycle is as follows: The riders on each side alternately pull and push on the levers, (shoving with the feet when they pull.) The pull is transmitted by the rocker from one set of levers to the set on the opposite side at the time the riders on that side are pushing. The forward movement of the lever-handles causes the pawls to actuate the ratchets and turn the driving-shaft and axle forward, the speed of the shaft being multiplied by the belt-gearing. One of the front riders in Fig. 1 controls with one hand the steering device by means of the handle 2'. In Fig. 5 a separate steersman is provided who can also drive the machine with his feet in case the other riders have left itas, for instance, when they are sent forward as skirmishers and the machine is to be sent to the rear for safety or for reinforcements. When a sharp turn is to be made, one of the rear riders opens the axle-clutch on the inside of the curve, so that that wheel may standnearly still while the outer one drives. When it is desired to back the machine, the two forward actuating-pawls are raised and the others are dropped into engagement with their ratchets. The machine will then be driven backward at every backward pull on the lever-handles.

To adapt the tricycle for a single rider, the front seats can be omitted, the frame shortened, and a single central seat substituted for the two rear seats, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. The rider will then operate the two rear levers M In machines of this kind it is necessary to provide a brake, and I wish it understood that I may use any suitable device of this nature. I prefer, however, to apply a brake-shoe X to the periphery of the driving-pulley on the main axle. The brake-shoe may also press upon the driving-belt, if desired. The shoe is carried on a lever Y, whose handle is within easy reach of one of the riders. The lever may be composed of resilient metal, rigidly fastened at one end to the frame of the machine.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim, and desire to secure by LettersPatcut, is

1. A speed-gearin g for cycles and other purposes, consisting of two parallel shaft-hangers L L a sleeve journaled in the hanger L and projecting at each end beyond said hanger, grooved pulleys S S secured on the respective ends of the sleeve, said pulleys being of different diameters, a driving-shaft N journaled in the sleeve and projecting therefrom, a grooved pulley S secured on the driving-shaft, means for rotating the shaft, a driven shaft A journaled in the hanger L and carrying a pulley T near one end, a double pulley T T sleeved loosely on the other end of the shaft A, and three endless belts U con- IIO necting the pulleys S T, S T and S T substantially as described.

2. In a cycle, the combination with a driving-shaft,of two ratchet-Wheels secured there- ,to side by side, one right hand and the other left hand, a lever having a longitudinal groove on each side, a pawl in each groove and longitudinally movable therein, each pawl being adapted to drive one of said ratchet-Wheels, and two face-plates, one on each side of the lever, inclosing the pawls and the ratchet-wheels and affording a bearing for the lever on the shaft, substantially as described.

3. In a cycle, the combination with a frame composed of an upper reach I), intermediate reach I) and lower reach biuprights b braces 19*, a steering-head b side bars I), diagonal bars 19 cross-bars b and struts 19 of a trans verse axle B, rear wheels 0 and front wheel 0, seats F supported on the ends of the cross- H. S. LORD, R. H. FAGAN. 

